German Conjunctions: Coordinating, Subordinating, and Two-Part

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Conjunctions connect words, phrases, and sentences. In English, you barely think about them — "and," "but," "because." In German, conjunctions are critical because they directly affect word order. Use the wrong conjunction type, and your verb ends up in the wrong place.

This guide covers all three types of German conjunctions with clear rules, tables, and plenty of examples.

Why Conjunctions Matter in German

In German, the type of conjunction determines where the verb goes. This is the single most important grammar rule for conjunctions.

• Coordinating conjunctions → normal word order (verb stays in position 2)
• Subordinating conjunctions → verb goes to the END
• Two-part conjunctions → follow specific patterns

If you already know the basics of German word order, conjunctions will click quickly.

Coordinating Conjunctions (Nebenordnende Konjunktionen)

Coordinating conjunctions connect two equal clauses. They do not change word order — the verb stays in position 2 in both clauses.

There are only five to memorize. German learners use the acronym ADUSO.

ADUSO: The Only Five You Need

These five conjunctions are the only coordinating conjunctions in German. Everything else is either subordinating or adverbial.

Und (and) is the most common:

• Ich spiele Gitarre und sie singt. — I play guitar and she sings.
• Er kauft Brot und Butter. — He buys bread and butter.

Aber (but) introduces a contrast:

• Das Essen ist gut, aber teuer. — The food is good but expensive.
• Ich möchte kommen, aber ich habe keine Zeit. — I would like to come, but I have no time.

Oder (or) offers alternatives:

• Möchtest du Tee oder Kaffee? — Would you like tea or coffee?
• Wir können ins Kino gehen oder zu Hause bleiben. — We can go to the cinema or stay home.

Study Tip: Sondern vs. aber — both mean "but," but they are not interchangeable. Use sondern only after a negative statement to introduce the correct alternative: "Nicht A, sondern B." Use aber for all other contrasts.

Sondern: The Special "But"

Sondern only appears after a negation (nicht or kein). It means "but rather" or "but instead."

• Er ist nicht dumm, sondern faul. — He is not stupid, but (rather) lazy.
• Ich fahre nicht mit dem Bus, sondern mit dem Zug. — I'm not taking the bus, but the train.
• Das ist kein Hund, sondern eine Katze. — That's not a dog, but a cat.

If there is no negation, use aber.

Denn vs. Weil

Both mean "because," but they behave differently.

• Denn (coordinating) → verb stays in position 2
• Weil (subordinating) → verb goes to the end

Compare:

• Ich bleibe zu Hause, denn es regnet. (verb "regnet" in position 2)
• Ich bleibe zu Hause, weil es regnet. (verb "regnet" at the end)

Weil is more common in everyday speech. Denn is slightly more formal and more common in writing.

Subordinating Conjunctions (Unterordnende Konjunktionen)

Subordinating conjunctions create dependent clauses. The key rule: the conjugated verb moves to the END of the clause.

This is the rule that trips up every German learner. But once it clicks, your German will sound dramatically more natural.

The Most Important Subordinating Conjunctions

The Verb-Final Rule

In a subordinate clause, the conjugated verb goes to the very end.

Normal sentence:

• Ich lerne Deutsch. (verb in position 2)

With subordinating conjunction:

• ..., weil ich Deutsch lerne. (verb at the end)

More examples:

• Ich weiß, dass er morgen kommt. — I know that he is coming tomorrow.
• Wenn du Zeit hast, können wir uns treffen. — If you have time, we can meet.
• Obwohl es regnet, gehen wir spazieren. — Although it's raining, we're going for a walk.

Study Tip: When writing, physically circle the conjugated verb and draw an arrow to the end. This visual trick trains your brain to move the verb. After a few weeks, it becomes automatic.

When the Subordinate Clause Comes First

When a subordinate clause starts the sentence, the main clause begins with the verb (verb-second rule still applies to the overall sentence).

• Weil es regnet, bleibe ich zu Hause. — Because it's raining, I stay home.
• Wenn du kommst, freue ich mich. — When you come, I'll be happy.
• Als ich Kind war, spielte ich viel. — When I was a child, I played a lot.

The pattern: subordinate clause + comma + verb + subject + rest.

For the full picture of German word order, see German word order rules.

Als vs. Wenn

Both can mean "when," but they are not interchangeable.

• Als = one specific time in the past
• Wenn = repeated events, present/future, or hypothetical

Examples:

• Als ich 18 war, bin ich nach Berlin gezogen. — When I was 18, I moved to Berlin. (one time)
• Wenn ich müde bin, trinke ich Kaffee. — When I'm tired, I drink coffee. (repeated)
• Wenn er morgen kommt, gehen wir essen. — When/if he comes tomorrow, we'll eat out. (future)

Two-Part Conjunctions (Zweiteilige Konjunktionen)

Two-part conjunctions work in pairs. They add emphasis and variety to your German.

Entweder ... oder (Either ... or)

• Entweder wir gehen jetzt, oder wir bleiben für immer. — Either we go now, or we stay forever.
• Du kannst entweder Suppe oder Salat nehmen. — You can have either soup or salad.

Je ... desto (The more ... the more)

This construction uses the comparative form and verb-final order in the je-clause.

• Je mehr ich lerne, desto besser verstehe ich. — The more I learn, the better I understand.
• Je länger du wartest, desto schwieriger wird es. — The longer you wait, the harder it gets.

Study Tip: Two-part conjunctions make your German sound more sophisticated. Start with nicht nur ... sondern auch (not only ... but also) — it is the easiest to use and impresses native speakers.

Adverbial Conjunctions (Konjunktionaladverbien)

These look like conjunctions but behave like adverbs. They connect sentences but cause inversion (verb before subject in the second clause).

Notice: after these words, the verb comes before the subject. "Deshalb bleibe ich" (not "deshalb ich bleibe").

These are NOT coordinating conjunctions (ADUSO), even though they connect clauses. They count as "position 1" in the second clause, pushing the verb to position 2.

Common Mistakes With German Conjunctions

Mistake 1: Wrong Verb Position After Weil

• Wrong: Ich bleibe zu Hause, weil es regnet draußen. ✗
• Right: Ich bleibe zu Hause, weil es draußen regnet. ✓

The verb must be at the END of the weil-clause.

Mistake 2: Using Als for Repeated Past Events

• Wrong: Als ich Kind war, spielte ich jeden Tag Fußball. ✗ (if meaning "whenever")
• Right: Wenn ich Kind war, spielte ich jeden Tag Fußball. ✓

Use wenn for repeated events, even in the past.

Mistake 3: Confusing Sondern and Aber

• Wrong: Ich bin nicht müde, aber hungrig. ✗ (when correcting)
• Right: Ich bin nicht müde, sondern hungrig. ✓

After negation + correction → sondern. After negation + additional info → aber.

Frequently Asked Questions

Conclusion

German conjunctions follow three clear rules: ADUSO (coordinating) keeps normal word order. Subordinating conjunctions send the verb to the end. Adverbial conjunctions cause inversion.

Start by memorizing ADUSO — those five words cover most everyday connecting. Then learn weil, dass, wenn, als, and ob — the five most common subordinating conjunctions. Together, these ten words handle 90% of real conversations.

For more grammar guides, see German word order rules, German cases explained, or German tenses.